Dredger



3 Shets-Sheet -1.

(N Model.)

L. W. BATES.

DREDGER.

Patented Aug. 22,1893.

3 Sheet s--S he'et-.2.

(No Model.)

L. W. BATES;

DBEDGER. No. 503,734. Patented 22,1893.

UNIT D STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LINDON W. BATES, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

DREDG ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 503,734, dated August 22, 1893.

Application filed March 21, 1893.

.To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, LINDON W. BATES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ohicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dredgers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to dredgers, and has reference more particularly to that class of machines in which the material to be excavated or removed is carried oif or raised by hydraulic means.

In the drawings,-Figure 1 is a side view of my improved dredge boat. Fig. 2 is a top plan view; Fig. 3, a top plan view, partly in section, showing the cutter and mechanism for operating the same; Fig. 4, an end view of the cutter; Fig. 5, a transverse sectional view on the line 55 of Fig. 3; Figs. 6 and 7, detail views of a portion of the cutter rotating mechanism; Fig. 8, a longitudinal sectional view through a portion of the suction pipe; Fig. 9,a top plan View of the same; and Fig. 10, a view illustrating the mechanism for driving a cutter for a special class of work. Fig. 11 is a view on a larger scale showing the connections for transmitting motion to the cutter.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2, A indicates the boat proper; B the ladder, hinged or pivoted thereto; 0 the mainsuction pipe carried by the ladder; D the pump; E the hose or pipe connecting the main suction pipe with the pump; F the engine for actuating the pump and other parts of the apparatus; G the cutter carried at the outer end of the main suction pipe; I the spud, adapted to be projected down through the boat; and J the mast.

At or near the lower end of the mast J is a winch a carrying two spools or drums or two independent winches, ab6ut which suitable cables,K and L respectively wind in opposite directions. The stern cable K is anchored at some distance in rear of the boat'or vessel, while the other cable L is anchored at a considerable distance in advance of the boat or vessel, both of said cables extending from their anchorage to the top of the mast where they pass over sheaves or pulleys b, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2. From this construction it will be seen that by turning the winch Serial No. 466,984. (No model.)

in one direction, one of the cables will wind thereupon, and the other will unwind therefrom, and thus cause the vessel to move in one direction; and it will also be seen that if the direction of rotation of the winch or winches be reversed, the direction of travel of the boat will also be reversed.

The longitudinal timbers o of the ladder B are connected at various points throughout their length by cross bars and by suitable tie rods or bolts, and to these cross bars the suction pipe C is secured or clamped by yokes or stirrups, or in any other suitable manner. The inner ends of the bars 0 project between the forwardly-extending arms or bars I) of the boat or vessel A, and are pivotally connected thereto by means of bolts e in such manner as to permit the ladder, with its suction pipe, to rise and fall upon such bolts as a pivot or center, as is indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 8.

Directly under the inner end of the main suction pipe 0, and secured thereto, is a block or timber M, whose inner and upper face or end is curved lengthwise on the arc of a circle as at f. This bearing face f is also curved transversely to conform to the curvature in cross section of the hose or pipe E, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 9. A part or the whole of this hose or pipe E connecting the suction pipe with the pump is made flexible, so that when the ladder swings downward, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 8, the bearing face f of the block M will afford a seat for the hose or pipe, preventing the same from being bent off at an acute angle, and also preventing the breakage of the hose or pipe or its collapsing.

The lower end of the main suction pipe 0 is provided with a cast or wrought end piece or extension 6', which is journaled in suitable brackets N extending from one bar a to the opposite bar of the ladder. This section C is provided with suitable thrust collarsg shown in Fig. 3, which embrace opposite faces of one of the brackets or supports N. At a point between the brackets this pipe or section C is provided with a bevel gear 0, with which a small bevel gear P is designed to mesh. The gear P is carried at the inner end of a short shaft Q, which in turn is supported in bearby angle irons m, which are shown in section; with a ;boat,-of a ladder hinged or pivoted thereto, a suction -,;pipeiO carried bythe ladings R It, secured respectively .to'one of 'the side bars'c, and'in a bracketS secured-to one' of said side bars.

Between the bracket S and the side bars a to which said bracket is secured, the shaft Q is provided with a sprocket wheel T, which'-is designed to receive a chain U shown in dotted lines in Fig.1 and in full lines in Fig. 72., This chain U passes not only about the wheel" T, but also about a larger sprocket V, which is carried upon ashaft Win line with the bolts 6 which form the axis or'pi'vot ofthe ladder. There is also mounted upon this; shaft W a second sprocket X about which.v and a sprocket wheel -Y (secured to a shaftcontrolledbythe engine Z) passes a chain h, which is also .shown by dotted lines in Fig.5; 1 and by full lines in 2. From this' construction it will be seen that .no matter; whatthepositionzof the ladder may be, aro f tary motion can betransmitted to the exten-l sion 0 of the suction pipe and the cutter carried thereby. Thiscutter comprises two dis'ksor .plates 2' and 3', open at thecenteras? shown in Figs. 3 and 4, said disks or platesTbe-i ingconnectedby longitudinal braces orbarsi 70,.as also shown in saidfigures. The periph cry .of the disks or .plates 1 and j is notche to form a .series of substantiallyltangentia seats to receive the blades or knives l, as; clearly. shown in Fig. 4, said knives or blades; being secured totherespective disks or 'platesj;

inFig.-3 and by dotted lines in Fig. 4:.

It will be noticed upon reference to Fig.3 that theknives or blades project forwardly" in, advance of the-front disk or plate j, and alsoithat the said disk or plate j is arranged in] a slightly inclined position, or in other words, l is madeslightly conical soas not'to interfere}; withor retard the entrance of material through the -.-open end of the cutter. This cutter is rigidly securedto the outer end of the suction. pipe and turns or rotates therewith.

lusome'instances where light work is being done, thelongitudin-al bars or braces kof-the, cutter may be omitted; and ontheother hand, where heavy work is in progress, the number, otbraces may be increased. ]The machine representedin Figs. 1,-2and 3lis designed for light Work, but where aharder material is being operated upon, it will be found necessary to duplicate the cutter rotat-j ing'mechanism as illustrated .in Fig. 10. In) this figure the rotatable sectionof the suction pi-peis provided witha double faced gear ring O,-which is engaged by two bevel pinions P, PZ, carried each upon a short shaft Q, Q, journaled insuitable bearings on-the sidebars 3 of the ladder; each of said shafts carrying also a sprocket wheel T, which will receive;

motion from anenginemounted upon theboat} or-upon the ladder. l

Havingthus described my invention, what I claim is- V 4 j 1. In a dredging machine, the combination upwardly therefrom and provided at its upper end with sheaves or pulleys'b and at its lower provided respectively with anchorages and winding upon the winch in opposite direction's,'all substanti'ally'as'shown and described.

2. In. a dredging machine, the combination with a boat or vessel, of a ladder hinged or pivoted thereto and carrying a suction tube, a flexible extension secured to said suction tube at the inner end of the latter, and a block M-secured to the'ladder and having abearing face f curved longitudinally, all substantially as shown and described.

3. In a dredging machine,;the combination with a boat or vessel, of a ladder-hinged or piv oted thereto and carrying a suction tube; a flexible 'hose or pipe. secured to'the inner zendof the saidsuction' tube; and a'blo'ck car- ;ried by the ladder and having a Sealtft-ore- .ceive the flexible hose-or tube, s'aid seat being curved longitudinally and transversely, .all substantiallyasshown and described.

4. In a dredgingmachinathe combination witha boat'or vessel, of a ladder hinged or zpivoted thereto 'and'provided with a suction itube; a flexible hose or tube connecteditothe said suction tube; and a'jblock carried-by the f ladder and adaptedto support .the flexible ihose or tube, all substantially asshown and described. p p

5. In a dredging machineth'e combination der, a'ndprovided'with a 'rotatablesection or extension 0 a centrally open cutter carried 'by the extensio'n"0 ,.and .im-eans fo'rrotating said extension 7 and cutter.

J6. Inga dredgin'g'machine, the combination withaboat orvessel, of a ladder "hinged-or pivoted -thereto; .a su'ctionpipe mounted upon the ladder and provided with'a'rotatable section or extension 0', a cutter carried'bysaid 1 extension and "having its axis in gline therewith; and'm'eans for rotatin'gthe extension 0 andlthe cutter carried thereby.

7. In adredging machine, the combination with a/boat or'vessel, of 'afladderfhinged or pivoted thereto, asuctio'npipe carriedbythe ladder andjprovided with .a rotatable section or extension 0' "a cutter carried "bysjaid extensionand adapted "to turn or-rotate therewith; a shafhQcarriedby theladderandprovided'with a'pinion to gearwiththe pinion uponthe extension 01 means for rotatihgthe shaft Qfrom the boat orvessel; and-abountershaft forming an element of said means and located in'line with the (axis orpivot of the ladder substantially as and'iforfthe purpose setforth.

'8. In a dredgingmachine, a cutter comprising two disks or plates 2' and j, open at the center, and the tangential blades or 'knivesl secured to said disks.

p 9. In adredging'machine,acuttercomprising the disks or plates 1' and j, open at the cenwith a boat or vessel, of a mast J projecting ter, with the outer plate j made conical or inend with a winch or winches; cables K and L l elined as sh0wn,and the blades or knives Z In Witness whereof I hereunto set my hand secured to the periphery of the plates or disks. in the presence of two Witnesses.

10. In a dredging machine, a cutter comprising the disks or plates i and j, open at the cen- LINDON BATES 5 ter, the longitudinal knives or blades Z, and Witnesses:

the angle irons m secured respectively to the CHAS. H. WHITING, plates or disks and to the cutters. I P. O. NORTON. 

